Exemplary embodiments pertain to integrated drive generators and, more particularly, to a differential with a sun gear configuration for an integrated drive generator.
In general, aircraft electric power generation utilizes a hydro-mechanical transmission that receives a power input, at variable speed, from an engine to drive a generator at a constant speed. The hydro-mechanical transmission includes a differential to convert the variable speed of the engine to the constant speed for the generator.
At present, a configuration of the differentials used in the hydro-mechanical transmission for aircraft electric power generation is a two ring gear configuration. The two ring gear configuration includes a first ring gear to first planet gear mesh, a first planet gear to second planet gear mesh, and second planet gear to second ring gear mesh configuration. The two ring gear configuration has a specific differential ratio of one (1) due to the first and second planet gears being the same size. This specific differential ratio limits the two ring gear configuration to a lower input speed range. In addition, the two ring gear configuration forces specific packaging arrangements of the hydro-mechanical transmission. Particularly, the differential must be side-to-side with a hydraulic unit and include gearing between the differential and the hydraulic unit.